Post by ppk101 on Feb 13, 2008 2:03:08 GMT -5
LOS ANGELES - Hollywood screenwriters voted to end their three-month long strike here on Tuesday, union officials said, bringing to a close the US entertainment industry’s most damaging dispute for 20 years.
Writers Guild of America (WGA) West leader Patric Verrone said members had voted overwhelmingly to end the strike, with 92.5 percent in favour following ballots conducted in Los Angeles and New York.
“The strike is over,” said Verrone. A tally of WGA members in Los Angeles showed 3,492 voting to return to work versus 283 against.
The vote had been seen as a formality after WGA members voiced widespread support for a new contract presented to them by union leaders at the weekend. Writers downed tools on November 5, a move that sent shock-waves through the industry, forcing the postponement or cancellation of several television shows and movies, and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.
Previous contract talks between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) collapsed the issue of payment for content broadcast free or bought over the Internet.
However a breakthrough in negotiations saw the WGA reach a tentative agreement with producers, and a proposed new deal received enthusiastic backing after it was tabled to writers on Saturday.
A joint statement from the chiefs of eight major studios — including NBC Universal, CBS, Warner Bros, Disney — welcomed the end of the strike.
“This is a day of relief and optimism for everyone in the entertainment industry,” the statement said.
“The strike has been extraordinarily difficult for all of us, but the hardest hit of all have been the many thousands of businesses, workers and families that are economically dependent on our industry."
The writers strike has been one of the longest and most damaging in the entertainment industry’s history, with losses estimated at 2 billion dollars according to the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC).
According to LAEDC figures, the strike cost an estimated 733 million dollars in lost film and television production spending.
But the LAEDC said an estimated 1.3 billion was lost by companies such as caterers, hoteliers and limousine rental firms that rely heavily on the entertainment industry for business.
The strike has also severely disrupted Hollywood’s awards season, leading to the cancellation of the Golden Globes awards after actors vowed to boycott the event, and casting a shadow over preparations for the February 24 Oscars.
www.thetimes.co.za/Entertainment/CelebZone/Article.aspx?id=705103
Writers Guild of America (WGA) West leader Patric Verrone said members had voted overwhelmingly to end the strike, with 92.5 percent in favour following ballots conducted in Los Angeles and New York.
“The strike is over,” said Verrone. A tally of WGA members in Los Angeles showed 3,492 voting to return to work versus 283 against.
The vote had been seen as a formality after WGA members voiced widespread support for a new contract presented to them by union leaders at the weekend. Writers downed tools on November 5, a move that sent shock-waves through the industry, forcing the postponement or cancellation of several television shows and movies, and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.
Previous contract talks between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) collapsed the issue of payment for content broadcast free or bought over the Internet.
However a breakthrough in negotiations saw the WGA reach a tentative agreement with producers, and a proposed new deal received enthusiastic backing after it was tabled to writers on Saturday.
A joint statement from the chiefs of eight major studios — including NBC Universal, CBS, Warner Bros, Disney — welcomed the end of the strike.
“This is a day of relief and optimism for everyone in the entertainment industry,” the statement said.
“The strike has been extraordinarily difficult for all of us, but the hardest hit of all have been the many thousands of businesses, workers and families that are economically dependent on our industry."
The writers strike has been one of the longest and most damaging in the entertainment industry’s history, with losses estimated at 2 billion dollars according to the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC).
According to LAEDC figures, the strike cost an estimated 733 million dollars in lost film and television production spending.
But the LAEDC said an estimated 1.3 billion was lost by companies such as caterers, hoteliers and limousine rental firms that rely heavily on the entertainment industry for business.
The strike has also severely disrupted Hollywood’s awards season, leading to the cancellation of the Golden Globes awards after actors vowed to boycott the event, and casting a shadow over preparations for the February 24 Oscars.
www.thetimes.co.za/Entertainment/CelebZone/Article.aspx?id=705103
